Our guide & routine for acne-prone skin
Acne is THE most common skin problem, it affects millions of people in France, and contrary to popular belief, it is no longer limited to adolescents.
Because you are a lot to ask us advice at any age to get rid of imperfections, we have devoted a complete file to it.
Warning: here, it's not about giving you a foolproof method to eradicate acne, but rather to help you understand your skin, treat it with kindness, find a natural AND effective beauty routine (yes yes, it is possible!), and adopt good daily habits for healthy skin.
In this section you will find:
Understand acne origin with face mapping
A complete routine for acne-prone skin
How to make up when you have acne?
Click on the part that interests you to access it directly!
I SHOP THE BEST ORGANIC SKINCARE FOR ACNE
Acne, what is it exactly?
Acne is an inflammation of the sebaceous pilo follicle caused by the proliferation of a bacteria, called Propionibacterium acnes.
Let's go into the details a bit (let's forget glamor!)
The sebaceous glands secrete sebum, which is normally fluid and flows through the pores of the skin, to hydrate and protect it.
In the case of acne, the sebum is secreted in excess and thickens, the pores are clogged which causes the Propionibacterium acnes to multiply in an abnormal way, leading to the appearance of acne lesions:
Hyperseborrhea: oily and shiny skin, large pores
Blackheads: Blackheads or whiteheads
Inflammatory lesions: they can be superficial (red inflammed pimples called papules, or pustules when they have a white head) or deeper: cysts and nodules, which form small bumps under the skin, more or less painful.
Acne most often affects the face and décolleté as these are the areas that concentrate the most sebaceous glands, but it can also affect the back and torso.
It is common with teenagers (especially young boys) and often develops during puberty: the surge in sex hormones causes the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum, which is a breeding ground for bacteria to proliferate. This is called juvenile acne.
But more and more adults are also affected by acne: it is adult acne, often more complex to treat.
We talk about hormonal acne for acne linked to hormonal fluctuations in women: menstrual cycle, pill, but also pregnancy or menopause.
Acne can also be linked to diseases such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome.
Understanding why I have acne: Face mapping
Face mapping for dummies
Face mapping is a method that allows you to better understand the origin of your acne, based on the correspondence between each area of the face and our different organs.
The skin is the largest of our organs and serves as an outlet through which toxins escape. Pimples are usually a sign of internal dysfunction, it's just the way our bodies communicate to us that something is wrong.
If your pimples always appear in the same place, face mapping can help you to target the cause, to treat the problem at the root.
Here is a small summary diagram:
What if my beauty products give me acne?
If the causes of acne are often internal, it can also be caused by an unsuitable beauty routine: this is called cosmetic acne. Before considering a treatment or a change of diet, inspect your vanity!
The guilty ones? Occlusive ingredients such as mineral oils and silicones that are found massively in conventional creams and foundations, but also detergent sulfates in certain foaming cleansers, coarse scrubs ... or simply bad beauty habits like sloppy make-up removal.
First of all, make sure you know your skin type properly to use appropriate care and follow our advice :)
Acne: 5 mistakes to avoid
Stripping your skin: We forget the overly aggressive cleansers like micellar waters and soaps. Why? Their pH is alkaline/basic, while our skin naturally has an acidic pH, which allows it to fight against bad bacteria.
Use overly drying treatments: Beware of purifying anti-acne marketed treatments, which dry the skin and push it to produce more sebum to defend itself. Acneic skin needs to be hydrated, nourished, and soothed.
Overstimulate your skin: Often when you have acne you tend to overdo it, change your routine all the time to test new "miracle" products, and multiply the care steps to get quick results. Patience, gentleness, and regularity are the keywords!
Touching your pimples: Even if the temptation is strong, we avoid piercing our pimples. It's the best way to super-infect the skin and end up with scars.
Choking your skin under makeup: By trying to hide your acne at all costs under a layer of foundation, you risk clogging your pores and making them worse. What if we let our skin breathe?
Acne-prone skin: 7 habits that make a difference
Impeccable hygiene: Small details not to be overlooked to avoid the proliferation of bacteria: change your pillowcase and wash your makeup brushes at least once a week, avoid sticking your phone to your cheek, fiddling with your skin with dirty hands or having your hair stuck to your face.
Choose carefully your beauty products: Whether for care or makeup, we always select non-comedogenic formulas (that is to say that do not clog the pores of the skin and do not promote the appearance of pimples/blackheads). Acneic skin should be treated gently, like sensitive skin. Oils, honey, aloe vera ... favor natural treatments that soothe and regulate the skin in-depth, unlike chemical creams which have only a short-lived and superficial effect, and are more drying than anything else. Double cleansing, exfoliation, hydration… We detail all the good beauty gestures step by step right there.
Evacuate toxins: It's no secret that doing sports and sweating helps eliminate toxins! You can also adopt dry brushing, an ancestral method recognized to stimulate lymphatic drainage and detoxify the organism. Before showering, take a few minutes to brush your body with a natural fiber brush, in circular movements from bottom to top towards the heart.
Pampering your gut: A beautiful skin is also played inside, the role of food and digestion is essential. Everyone is different, but among the inflammatory foods pointed to as aggravating skin problems are gluten and lactose. Make sure you eat healthily and eat foods that your body easily eliminates. It may sound trite, but drinking water also contributes to healthy skin, whether pure, as an infusion, tea, or detox water. Finally, fermented and probiotic foods are ideal for good digestion. To help his intestine and his skin, nothing better than a natural food supplement ! The Atelier Nubio Microbiota and Skin supplement is ideal for skin prone to imperfections, its formula based on lactic ferments reduces inflammation, strengthens the intestinal flora and enhances the complexion.
Managing stress: Easier said than done, we grant you! Skin problems are often linked to stress, which is why taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your skin. Yoga, meditation, reading, aromatherapy… it's up to you to find the ritual that will best suit you to relieve the pressure and take the time for these activities essential to well-being.
Checking your hormones: In a world where we are constantly exposed to endocrine disruptors, many women suffer from acne linked to hormonal imbalance, triggered by the contraceptive pill, pregnancy, menopause, stress, or a disease like PCOS. Having a blood test is a great way to get visibility into what's going on inside. The good news? There are natural alternatives to regulate your hormones, with plants such as evening primrose, to be taken as a cure in form of an infusion or capsules.
Treat your skin with kindness: Without a doubt our most important advice! Because we know that acne affects self-esteem and self-confidence, we can never tell you enough to love and pamper your skin. Acne skin is not dirty, ugly, or shameful skin. In our current society where the cult of perfect skin reigns, changing your look on your skin is far from obvious ... Listen to your skin, take the time to massage it, offer it a real ritual of sensory care and let it breathe, it will return it to you! Perfect skin does not exist and life is far too short to focus on its pimples so long live the #skinpositivity and the #selflove
As you can see, at MonCornerB we advocate a holistic approach to acne (and skin problems in general). Pretty skin does not only require a good beauty routine, but also a healthy lifestyle and a more peaceful mind. If you suffer from severe or persistent acne do not hesitate to consult a naturopath to explore more in-depth the causes of your acne, and treat it naturally without going through Roaccutane
The 100% natural acne pron-skin routine
Acne skin needs special care and attention, the use of wrong products or unsuitable gestures can worsen acne.
Be careful, you have to know how to be patient to soothe acne! We do not hope for a miracle in the space of a few days but we wait several weeks to truly judge the effectiveness of a product/routine (knowing that the skin takes on average 28 days to regenerate).
The good news? You can get amazing results with organic and natural cosmetics! For years we have supported you in the choice of effective treatments to fight against the imperfections that make you complex, and your feedback and testimonials are the proof of it.
Acne can also be a trigger for turning to green beauty, after having noticed the ineffectiveness of dermatological treatments and conventional care. This is what pushed many of the founders of our favorite brands to develop their own line of natural and efficient skincare, real treasures that make you (and us) happy.
The objective? Makeup with your skin!
Here is a step-by-step natural and effective routine to calm inflammation, regulate the skin, and reduce acne scars.
How to clean acne-prone skin?
The key to good cleaning? Softness!
In the evening we perform a double cleaning, which will remove all the impurities accumulated during the day, without attacking the skin.
STEP 1: We massage on dry skin a cleansing oil (or a balm), to dissolve makeup, impurities, and excess sebum on the surface of the skin. Oil make-up removal is THE most gentle and effective method for cleaning your skin. There is no reason to deprive yourself of it on the pretext that you have acne, on the contrary!
The little extra: massaging the skin stimulates blood circulation to better transport essential nutrients, and promotes lymphatic drainage. If you don't know how to do it, go ici
Which oil should I choose?
You can choose either a crude vegetable oil noncomedogenic like jojoba oil, ideal for regulating the skin, or for a formula combining several oils and active ingredients.
To avoid fatty residues, prefer an emulsifiable version that turns into milk on contact with water, or remove the oil using a muslin soaked in warm water (in addition, this technique also allows you to use less water).
STEP 2: Exit soaps and micellar waters, we use the mildest possible cleanser!
The good idea? A cleanser based on honey, both antibacterial, healing, moisturizing, and soothing. And why not a cleansing powder be applied every night or several times a week to decongest the pores.
Tip: You can even use pure honey to cleanse your skin! Choose preferably an unfiltered and unpasteurized organic honey. Take a dab of honey and heat it between your hands to help it "melt" and massage in circular motions on damp skin. You can leave it on as a mask if you want, then rinse off with warm water.
STEP 3: After rinsing, spray a mist to neutralize the drying effect of limescale and prepare the skin for treatment.
How to choose your tonic lotion?
You can use a hydrosol, thermal water, or a mist combining several To purify and tighten the pores, we bet on peppermint hydrosol or the Digital Detox by Amly. To soothe and replenish hydration (which acne-prone skin often needs!) We opt for a mist enriched with aloe vera or hyaluronic acids such as the Hydrating Accelerator mist by Josh Rosebrook, or the Daily Defence by Evolve.
And the morning? It is not necessary to re-cleanse your skin in the morning. Cleansing too closely can disturb the balance of the skin, and affect its ability to defend itself against external aggressions. If the double cleaning of the evening is essential to eliminate make-up, impurities, and pollution residues, a morning mist is enough to refresh and wake up your skin
Cream or oil: How to hydrate acne-prone skin?
You will understand, acne-prone skin does not only need to be cleaned and purified, but also to be hydrated, nourished, and protected.
Which cream for acne-prone skin?
The role of cream will be above all to moisturize and protect the skin. For a treatment action on imperfections, opt instead for a specific serum or treatment in addition.
So no need to opt for a cream labeled "anti-acne", however, we must choose a non-comedogenic formula so as not to clog pores and multiply pimples.
If you have oily skin, favor gel formulas that are both moisturizing and light.
Oil for acne skin, good or bad idea?
This question engages debate!
At MonCornerB you know, we are fans of facial oils.
In excellent affinity with the skin thanks to their composition naturally close to sebum, vegetable oils are proven to rebalance the skin.
No water, texture, or filling agent in their composition, they deliver many benefits in a few drops, protect the skin from dehydration and external aggressions, and help it to regenerate.
For acne-prone skin, the oil will be ideal for regulating sebum production and promoting healing in particular, provided of course you choose it well!
Some vegetable oils which are comedogenic must be avoided at any cost by acne-prone skin. Also pay attention to the quality of the oil, its extraction method, and its freshness, which will determine its effectiveness. We choose it preferably virgin, cold-pressed, and organic.
Finally, a suitable gesture is essential to enjoy the benefits of oils: we always apply our oil on wet skin for better penetration. 2 to 3 drops are enough to heat in the palms of the hands before applying it by massaging or pressing the palms against the skin.
Oil can be used morning and evening instead of a moisturizer, or only in the evening as a night care if you prefer to apply a cream during the day.
Which oil for acne-prone skin?
Jojoba, hazelnut, nigella, hemp, evening primrose ... many vegetable oils are beneficial for acne-prone skin.
Prefer oils rich in linoleic acid (omega-6 ), whose acne-prone skin is sorely lacking, which helps regulate and cleanse the skin. You can opt for a crude vegetable oil, or a synergy of vegetable oils and different carefully chosen active ingredients.
The little extra : After applying your face oil, take the time to massage your skin with a roll-on or a gua-sha in jade or aventurine, which decongests, drains toxins and stimulates blood circulation.
Acne skincare: what to choose?
In addition to your cream or oil, do not hesitate to boost your routine with an anti-blemish serum, concentrated in antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and healing active ingredients.
This allows you to adjust your routine according to the needs of your skin: for example, if you have pimples only at a certain period of the month (Hi period!) Or on a particular area of the face, it is not necessary to apply a treatment treating everywhere and all the time.
SOS pimples!
An undesirable starts to appear? Rather than fiddling with it, apply locally a targeted treatment that you leave on overnight.
The extra tip: Diversify your face masks! The Aura mask with manuka honey of the Antipodes' brand or the masque Resurfacing by Tata Harper for example work miracles in a generous layer on the pimple.
How to exfoliate acne-prone skin?
Acne-prone skin tends to be congested, hence the importance of not neglecting exfoliation.
This step is essential for a smoother skin texture, to fade acne scars, but also to promote the penetration and the effectiveness of the treatments applied thereafter.
We forget the too abrasive and aggressive scrubs which excite the sebaceous glands and aggravate the inflammation.
Prefer grain-free scrubs, called enzymatic, formulated with enzymes, fruit acids ( AHA ), or BHA ( salicylic acid), which dissolve and take off dead cells without having to scrub.
You can also opt for AHA exfoliating lotion like the Okoko Clarity Elixir, the Josh Rosebrook Daily Acid Toner Exfoliating Lotion, or the Radiance Glycolic Evolve lotion, preferably applied in the evening before your treatment.
How often should you exfoliate your skin? 1 to 2 times a week for a “classic” exfoliation, every evening or every other evening for an exfoliating lotion (depending on your skin's sensitivity)
Which mask for acne-prone skin?
Clay mask
Do not hesitate to treat yourself with a deep skin cleansing once a week with a mask based on clay, which extracts the impurities embedded in the pores.
Our favorites? The Lena Wild Harmony Rescue maskwith green clay, the Okoko La D'tox Noire Purifying Detox Mask mask with charcoal and spirulina, or the Nini Organics Anti-Imperfections Face Scrub with cocoa and detoxifying plants.
Be careful not to let it dry on the skin, the clay must always remain moist to enjoy its benefits! Once rinsed, continue with a moisturizing treatment.
For optimal quality and freshness, choose masks in the form of powder and activate with water during application;)
Honey mask
As often as your skin feels the need, unsheath a honey mask. At the same time antibacterial, moisturizing, soothing, and healing, it is the superhero of acne-prone skin!
Unlike clay masks, honey masks do not dry on the skin, so you can leave them on for as long as you want.
The best honey is manuka honey, with tenfold virtues. It can even be directly applied to the skin as a natural mask.
Other types of masks can be interesting for acne-prone skin like a natural retinol mask.
Our favorite? Lilfox Dewy Bean Dream Smoothing Bedtime Mask with bio-retinol from butterfly beans and niacinamide, to decongest, smooth and even out the skin
What about acne scars?
Often just as complexing as pimples, these marks left by acne can take time to fade.
The ideal is to treat acne scars as soon as possible, because the older they are and "established", the more they will be difficult to remove.
Be careful of some very interesting active ingredients to treat scars like Rosehip oil for example are comedogenic and may promote pimples, so choose 2-in-1 treatments that treat both blemishes and scars.
To limit the damage as soon as the pimples appear, we bet on peeling care with AHAs and honey masks presented just above.
In terms of daily care, regenerating oils and vitamin C (both anti-stain and anti-imperfection) will be your allies!
Acne & sun: the mistakes you should not make
No question of skipping sun protection! With exposure to the sun, the scars turn brown and change into pigment spots, which are even more difficult to treat.
We choose a natural sunscreen or a foundation with integrated SPF, with a non-comedogenic and non-greasy formula so as not to clog the pores. Our favorites for acne-prone skin include Josh Rosebrook's Nutrient Day Cream SPF30and Pai Skincare's British Summer Time SPF 30.
The little extra? mineral filters such as zinc oxide help to cleanse the skin and soothe inflammation.
Finally, we avoid excessive exposure to the sun when we have acne. In addition to developing pigmentation spots, the sun thickens the skin, and if at the moment pimples become scarce, beware of the rebound effect when we unplug!
To offer a healthy glow effect without the sun, our favorite is Eco By Sonya's face tan water. The unified complexion, natural look, and anti imperfections formula, it has it all! We can almost do without foundation :)
An acne routine for my teenager
Your teen is in the middle of a button crisis? Here are our sure values for a simple and effective 100% natural routine!
Step 1:If your teen is wearing makeup, the Akane oil that smells apple will be perfect for gently removing make-up every evening.
Step 2: Madara cleansing foam is a must-have to purify the skin every day without attacking it, all at a low price.
You can even pair it with the SOS Pureté Naturience cleaning brush for enhanced efficiency.
Step 3: A pschiit of peppermint hydrosol to tighten pores and prepare the skin to receive morning and evening care
Step 4: A rebalancing treatment, cream, gel, or oil! Among the favorites of teens: Z & MA's Active face cream, Indemne Gimme Clear! Unexpected Lotion, young skin cream by Lady Green (more for girls) but also the serum Rainforest Evolve and the tea tree gel Lulu & Boo presented above which can stand on their own.
Step 5: The purifying mask is to be applied once a week, alone or with friends, to tighten pores and purify deeply. Our favorites? Akane's Purifying Milky Scrub and Z & MA's Exfoliating Face Mask.
How to make up acne-prone skin?
The goal: Unify the complexion and camouflage the imperfections, while letting the skin breathe and keeping a natural look.
As for care, we only select non-comedogenic formulas.
The choice of foundation for acne-prone skin is essential! Organic and natural foundations have the advantage of being real cares, packed with active ingredients that pamper and beautify the skin.
The star for acne-prone skin is the mineral foundation: an ultra-short composition that lets the skin breathe to the maximum, modular coverage that allows unifying just what is needed, a mattifying effect on shine, and a natural sun protection index ... it's all good!
For those looking for high coverage for a perfect complexion, we recommend the Gressa foundation. A few drops are enough for a flawless and long-lasting look, and its skincare formula is bursting with botanical extracts that soothe acne.
Tip: rather than multiplying the layers of foundation, we locally use a corrector to provide more coverage only on the desired areas
Our favorite is Kosas's Revealer concealer: ultra-creamy, it covers redness and imperfections effortlessly, while offering a luminous and natural finish. Between makeup and skincare, its formula rich in hyaluronic acid, arnica, and caffeine pampers the epidermis to reveal a more beautiful skin day after day. You can also rely on a green mineral corrector that neutralizes the redness of pimples and scars.
Food supplements for acne: effective or not?
To put the odds on your side, the ideal is to bet on a routine « inside&out ». In addition with cares, food supplements are real beauty allies for healthy skin. So which ones to choose when you have acne?
Pre and probiotics to pamper the gut
Probiotics are microscopic living organisms, good bacteria that will help fight bad bacterias to balance the intestinal flora. Prebiotics serves as food for probiotics. They ensure good digestion and therefore healthy skin! The must: Aurelia Beauty & Immunity Support with probiotics and zinc, for healthy and balanced skin from within.
A detox cure
To help the body eliminate toxins and clean up from the inside, we use detox superfoods like psyllium ou la chlorella. Please note the detox cures act as a purge and can make the pimples come out first before finding clearer skin. For an ultra complete cure specifically focused on imperfections we bet on the ampoules We Want... The Purest Skin by Atelier Nubio is rich in burdock, fresh turmeric, stinging nettle and Freja, to improve the beauty of the skin by facilitating digestion and elimination of toxins.
Hormonal acne?
If your acne is of hormonal origin, choose supplements that promote the balance of hormones such as maca or krill oil or the cure We Want... Rose Petal Skin by Atelier Nubioin the form of capsules.
Acne scars
The star to fade scars is the MSM, a natural sulfur compound, which helps maintain the integrity of connective tissue.
We hope all of these tips will help you reconcile with your skin :)
Need personalized support? We offer you a full skin diagnosis by email to build a custom routine.
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Combination skin: how to take care of it?
I have dehydrated skin: what can I do?
Taking care of my mature skin
Dry skin: how to pamper it?
MonCornerb beauty ritual
Our solutions anti blackheads abd large pores
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